English

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CIPAC / THE FRENCH FEDERATION OF CONTEMPORARY ART PROFESSIONALS

The CIPAC is an association composed of 25organisations representativeoftheprofessionalsinvolved in thefieldofcontemporary art. Its objective istofosterthedevelopmentof and support for thelifeofcontemporary art in France. In this perspective, the association constitutesa permanent platform for reflection, exchange and proposal-makingaround issues that are consideredessentialbythoseinvolved in contemporary art, organisingregularcongresses and commissioningstudies.

In October 1996, thefirstinter-professionalcontemporary-artcongresswasheld in Tours, focusing on a broadlyshared and highlytopical question : “Art, a public affair.” Encouragedbysuccessfullybringingtogethermorethan a thousandpeople, a second congresswasorganised in November 1998, seekingtoinvestigateanotherfundamentaltheme : “Art, a necessaryeducation.” Thethirdcongress, organised in Nantes in November 2001, attractedsome 1500 actorsfromthecontemporary-artworld, aroundthetheme : “Art, artists and professions.” Thefourthcongresswas in Metz, on 27-28 November 2003, and willfocus on thetheme : “ TheEuropean Challenge in Contemporary Art. Exchange and Co-operation.” Four yearslater, in 2007 atLyon, thefithcongresswastitled "Art mustbe an event ?" for twodaysofinspiringproceedings.